Wickenburg - driving from Phoenix and other Phoenix, AZ Off The Beaten Path Tips

The Old West survives in this nice little town between Phoenix and Las Vegas. It even has a museum for cowboys called the Desert Caballeros Western Museum (www.westernmuseum.org 21 N Frontier St 928-684-2272. But just be careful when driving into town because cops are easy on catching those who do not follow the speed limit. There are several small eateries ands hops where you can stroll around. A walking map is available from the Wickenburg Chamber, www. Wickenburgchamber.com 216 N Frontier St 928-684-5479.

Follow I-17 N From Phoenix to Carefree Hwy, then drive west to Hwy 60

Leave a Comment

I once read that Sedona is one of the most romantic places in the United States. It also is featured sometimes in the History Channel’s UFO series, because a lot of unidentified flying objects have been spotted on its horizon. They say that the place is sacred and full of “magnetic power”.

The rocks are a very beautiful burnt-orange to red color, and the shopping strip on 89A is an enjoyable place to walk through – with lots of shops and nice places to eat at. There are the pink jeep adventures, shopping for fine arts and inexpensive clothing, lots of souvenir shops for crystals and special stones. There is even a shopping outlet in Sedona.

Best part of it is enjoying the slippery rocks at the creek at Slide Roack Park --- very cool! All of our friends who we brought to Sedona fell in love with this enchanting place, and the drive through the winding roads and seeing houses by the side of the mountain was also very enjoyable.

Follow I-17N to Highway 179

Leave a Comment

Now this is really an unusual place to visit – with streets at steep angles and houses/buildings perched on the side of the mountain.

Jerome used to be a copper-mining town in the 1870’s but then people left, and it virtually became a ghost-town for many years. Today, the place has been repopulated by artists who have taken this place as their refuge from the city.

You can enjoy eating in little restaurants and also shopping around for art.

Follow I-17 to Hwy 260.Camp Verde Exit

Leave a Comment

Prescott already has a Costco, indicative of the amount of people who have decided to live in this cool town north of Phoenix. A lot of Phoenix residents decided to buy resthouses/vacation places here to escape the scorching sun during summer.

Aside from the fine arts festivals, antique shops at the Courthouse Plaza, the cowboy saloons with swinging doors and the Victorian houses on Mount Vernon Avenue, this town is also famous among rock climbers because of Granite Dells.

Follow I-17N from Phx to Highway 69

Leave a Comment

Yes, Phoenix may be hot but during the winter months (December to February), you will see skiers going off to the ski resorts of Flagstaff.

Hikers also proceed to the jagged San Francisco Peaks, with Humphrey’s Peak being the highest elevation in Arizona at 12,643 feet. For those who would like to have a scenic chairlift ride, there is the Arizona Snowbowl (www.arizonasnowbowl.com 928-779-1951) which operates from summer and into October.

From Flagstaff/Wiliams, you can even take a famous train ride to go to the Grand Canyon (Grand Canyon railway)! The trains depart from Williams and the trip through forest and desert takes 2 hours and fifteen minutes each way.

Flagstaff also has commercial places like Barnes and Noble, Sizzler and several other restaurants. There's a lot of hotels you can choose from.

Just follow I-17N from Phx to Milton Rd/Route 66

Leave a Comment

You can go to the Grand Canyon by scenic train ride from Williams.

Near the station at Williams is a nice hotel with a rustic feel at the lobby- called the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. It has the Spenser's Lounge which also features a bar from 19th-century England! But just keep that hotel in mind, and let's go back to that train ride...

You can drive up I-17N and then 40W to Williams to go for this train ride operated by the Grand Canyon Railway. My wife and I did the trip during the wintertime and unfortunately, snow ruined the glass top view of the train (observation dome).

But I hear that during the summer, it can be really scenic. The whole trip takes about 2 hours and fifteen minutes each way. And on first class, you can be given champagne! The train is old, original and very nostalgic. Typically, if the train departs at 10 AM, it arrives at 1215 PM at GC, and then leaves GC at 4 PM and then arrives in Williams at 615 PM. Check for schedules since they vary throughout the year, but generally have two daily departures at busy times.

For kids each winter, there is the Polar Express to the "North Pole" where the Grand Canyon Railway creates a magical train, serving cookies and hot choco and staging special appearances from Santa! During wintertime, this is a better option than driving to the Grand Canyon which can have slippery icy roads (and you also save gas).

Leave a Comment

Follow I-17N, go through Flagstaff onto 89N and then stop at Cameron Trading Post before going into the Grand Canyon National Park through 64W

The drive to Grand Canyon from Phoenix takes about 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours, and I usually just leave in the morning and return later in the day when bringing friends and relatives.

From Phoenix, I always find it better to drive into the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, coming from the East going West. So I follow I-17. Go up 89N and then stop at the Cameron Trading Post for lunch (admire the nice Native Indian artifacts and silver plate ceilings) and souvenirs, and then follow the road going East to West into the Grand Canyon National Park. Then going back to Phoenix, I just go down the west side by taking 64S towards Williams, 40E to Flagstaff and then I-17S back to Phoenix.

There is an entrance fee for the Grand Canyon Park for vehicles, starting at about $25 I think for cars, and the pass is valid for a few days. Or you can even buy a yearly pass if you are going to other national Parks around the USA.

Leave a Comment

This is the famous Lowell Observatory with that historic 24" Clark Telescope which lets you see the moon, planets, star clusters and more! You can go to the center on Evenings, and no reservations are required. But viewing depends on what is in the sky and how the weather is.

Evening schedule is when it is best to view the stars - after dark: From Sept-May M, W, F, Sat 530PM-930PM, June_Aug 530PM-10PM.

Daytime programs include indoor multimedia about Lowell's research and the universe, given throughout the day, with historic tours conducted by the center. March-Oct 1015-1615 PM, Nov-Feb 1315-1615 PM. As of 2008, Adults $6, 5-17 yo $3 and students/seniors/AAA $5.

Go here to see the stars!

Leave a Comment

Phone: 928.233.3211
Website: www.lowell.edu

There is a safari experience in the desert - the Out of Africa Wildlife Park which the a unique wildlife theme park complete with tigers and lions! There are safari vehicles where you can enjoy seeing the animals - the wildebeest, giraffe, zebra and more. The place is open year round except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and July 4th. Wednesday- Sunday 0930-5PM (admission closes at 4PM). Closed on Modays and Tuesday.

This safari place has regular shows like the Tiger Splash which features water play between the caretakers and the tigers, Wonders of Wildflife, Predator Feed and the Giant Snake Show (shows depending on day of the week).

Apparently, this place was started by Dean and Prayeri in 1988, and now it has become a favorite place to enjoy some piece of Africa in Arizona!

Located just 3 mi west of I-17 on Hwy 260 (exit 287) 25 minutes south of Sedona

verde Valley Justice Ct Rd, Camp Verde AZ

Leave a Comment

Phone: 928-567-2840
Website: www.outofafricapark.com

Cottonwood is just a little over an hour drive from Phoenix, but immediately you feel like you are transported into another time of cowboys and Indans after you reach the Old Town of this city...

Just follow the road out of Cottonwood and then you turn right when you see the Tuzigoot sign (the GPS did not give correct directions), and then there it is ----a stone structure looming on a hill in the horizon. This is the ultimate Sinaguan ruin left by a people that mysteriously disappeared from this area in the 1400s. Why? Famine, weather, boredom?

Once there, you go to the museum for $5 tickets for those more than 15 yo (as of 2008). The 4yo twins were free....

In the Sinagua Museum, you find a room showing how these ancient people led their daily lives. These included grinding corn, cooking, weaving cloth, drying skins and making baskets. You will also notice the presence of the colorful Macaw bird – this meant that there was probably trading with Mexico and also some pottery trading from the north. Their pottery is notably undecorated and you will see several storage containers.

And then you go up the trails going up to the structure. The trail is wheelchair friendly and the kids loved following it - one mile of it!

Tuzigoot means “crooked water’ in Apache, and I wonder if it refers to that little river we passed by earlier? And the stone structure at the end of the trail was originally two stories high in places and with 77 ground floor rooms. Entry was then mostly by ladders through roof openings – I guess this is a construction marvel to protect from the scorching heat and cold.

The views around this 42 acre monument are spectacular and so get your cameras ready for the ultimate Sinaguan experience...

Located on Highway 89 between Cottonwood and Clarkdale

Leave a Comment